WhistleOut fast facts
- Canada and Ontario are funding a $61 million investment in internet connection in partnership with Bell Canada, the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre, and Keewaytinook Okimakanak.
- The money will fund six projects, which will reach 16,000 homes in Ontario.
- This round of funding comes after the Canadian and Ontario governments $56 million sent to rural and First Nations communities for high-speed internet.
- Canada and Ontario have pledged $1.2 billion in funding since July 2021 to bring high-speed internet to over a quarter-million households.
Earlier this week, the governments of Canada and Ontario announced a $61 million investment to bring high-speed internet to over 16,000 homes in Ontario.
The funding will go to Bell Canada, the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre, and Keewaytinook Okimakanak. It will bring internet access to 47 rural communities in Ontario and 3 First Nations communities in Northern Ontario, totalling over 16,000 homes.
“We all know that Internet is no longer a luxury in this day and age—it’s a necessity,” The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, said in a statement. “Having fast, reliable Internet helps rural Canadians by leveling the playing field to access essential services like health care and education, participate in the digital economy, or simply connect with loved ones.”
The Government of Canada has a larger Universal Broadband Fund with over $3 billion of investment to connect all of Canada to high-speed internet.
A larger plan for rural households in Ontario
Funding for this plan comes from a $1.2 billion fund set aside by Ontario and Canada to bring high-speed internet access to Ontario residents and businesses. The fund has already provided $65 million for rural internet service, focused on First Nations communities and homes in rural northern and southwestern Ontario.
The Canadian and Ontario governments have pledged to bring high-speed internet to 280,000 households in Ontario. The government focuses on rural and remote households that historically have slower broadband or no connection.
WhistleOut found that in the last five years, high-speed broadband coverage for First Nations reserve areas has only increased by 16%, with less than half of areas receiving internet speeds.
The funding programs here aim to hit Canada’s goal of providing 100% of households with national 50Mbps download and 10Mbps upload coverage—also known as 50/10 unlimited broadband. A 2021 report said that the government is “on track” to reach all households, but a digital divide is still making it hard for rural and First Nations communities to connect online.
The new funding from the Canadian and Ontario governments is a step in the right direction toward digital equity for all Canadians.
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